All you need is 1,000 true fans!

Tabitha Seeber
Jun 18, 2018
2 min read

Superfly Crew & Poly Essence with True Fans

I do believe in the theory that you can survive as an independent artist with only 1,000 true fans!

By definition, a true fan will buy anything you produce and according to the #1000TrueFans theory, two criteria must be met in order for it to work. You must create enough content each year so you can earn $100 in profit (on average) from each true fan and you must have a direct relationship with them. This means you need your true fans to pay you directly so you receive 100% of their support and not just a percentage as you would get with a record label, retailer, publisher, etc (Kelly, 2008). The theory doesn’t work for everyone, especially for artists that don’t want to put in the work of gaining and maintaining personal relationships with their fans. Nowadays there is so much competition in the music industry and in order to stay relevant or to make a living playing music, you must truly connect with your fans.

Getting 1,000 true fans is not easy, but it can be done!

Just look Amanda Palmer. Amanda Palmer uses crowdfunding sites to fund her projects from her biggest fans. She raised 1.2 million on Kickstarter to fund her new album and now has moved to Patreon to have her true fans promise to pay a certain amount for each song or “thing” she creates. She already has over 11,000 Patreons (DeVille, 2015). Keeping the 1,000 true fans takes dedication. It includes having quality music, finding a micro-niche, developing a community around that niche, being consistent with the brand and what the brand stands for, marketing to your community by regularly posting to social media with exciting content, talking with your fans on a personal level, and sometimes you have to take your clothes off while performing your fan’s favorite song (Amanda Palmer’s promise to her Paterons).

So next time you are playing a show, make sure you connect with your fans by talking to them after you get off the stage. Ask them questions about themselves, their opinion of your performance, and what songs they would like the band to play at the next show. After you spend some one-on-one time with your fans always get their personal email and ask them to connect with you on social media so they can stay in direct contact with you. It’s always good to give your fans something extra such as merchandise, playing requests, or taking pictures with them to make them feel special. Once you gain a fan, keep them entertained and wanting more by sending them personalized newsletters and regularly engage with them on social media. Treat your fans as your best friends and they will treat you well in return! Learn how to gain 1,000 true fans! Also check #TabzBlog every month for the latest #MusicNews!

#SFC #PolyEssence #SuperflyCrew #Bands #LocalMusic